Who Is Responsible for Romeo and Juliets Death?

Who Is Responsible for Romeo and Juliets Death?

Who is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death?
‘These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume’ Friar Lawrence Scene VI Act 2
‘Romeo and Juliet’ has been heralded as the greatest love story ever. It’s dramatic, intense plot line follows two teenagers from feuding families in the hostile city of Verona, Italy. They instantly fall in love and develop a thrilling, deep love for each other. The majority of events in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet lead up to the lovers paying the ultimate price for their love: death. Consequently the families of the lovers, Montague and Capulet, unite in their grieve and bury an age old mutiny. There is hardly a character in Romeo and Juliet who cannot be apportioned some blame.
It could easily be argued that the prince is partly to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet. In scene 1 the Prince says: ‘by thee, old Capulet and Montague, have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets’. This means that there have been 3 or more brawls and arguments before. If the Prince had taken action sooner not only may many lives have been saved but also maybe the families would have not fought or stopped fighting. This would have meant Romeo and Juliet would not have had to hide their love and their relationship.
Additionally if the two households, Montague and Capulet, had not been constantly fighting then Romeo and Juliet would not have had to hide. If they hadn’t had to meet or get married in secret then maybe they wouldn’t have married so abruptly. Also, if the fighting hadn’t been going on, Tybalt mightn’t have killed Mercutio and then Romeo wouldn’t have killed Tybalt. If Romeo hadn’t had killed Tybalt then he wouldn’t have been banished. This would not only have saved Tybalt and Mercutio’s lives but Romeo and Juliet’s as well. Some blame must be pushed onto the feuding families.
Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin, may have contributed to Romeo and Juliet’s death as...